Many teenagers have their own room. Luke Thill has his own house. The 14-year-old Life Scout from Dubuque, Iowa, raised $1,500 performing odd jobs for neighbors and used a mix of reclaimed and purchased materials to build his own 89-square-foot tiny house in his parents’ backyard. The process took nearly two years. Luke says Scouting gave him both the leadership skills and craftsmanship needed to complete the process. “All the merit badges helped — Personal Management, Woodwork, Welding, Public Speaking, Communication,” Luke told me by phone. “All that kind of stuff plays a role.” The project has made Luke something of a celebrity both in the burgeoning tiny house community and beyond. He has nearly 45,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, and his story has been featured by ABC News, Country Living magazine and many local media outlets.

The 12-volt battery in Troop 14’s trailer often drained, forcing adult leaders to jump it if the troop wanted to use the interior and exterior LED lights. For lighting in camp, the Metuchen, N.J., troop relied on propane lanterns. The Scouts also used propane for cooking. For a troop of more than 50 Scouts who love to go camping, that means a lot of propane. Adult leaders estimated the troop used as many as 20 20-pound tanks in a year. How did Troop 14 solve both costly, time-consuming problems? They used solar panels. After installing the panels to the trailer’s roof, the troop cut its propane budget, solved its battery issue and helped Scouts accomplish a few merit badge requirements. So, how did they do it?